Imagine for a moment you’re a corporation. And that you’re also a person. Now imagine you’re the world’s second-largest insurance company. Your name is MunichRe. And you’re worried. Why?
You’re worried because you do business in Europe. And those clowns at the European Central Bank have imposed a negative rate of return on your cash held overnight for safekeeping with the bank. As a person, your feelings are hurt. As a business with cash, your wealth is in danger.
What do you do?
You find a convenient and safe vault this is not owned by the government or the central bank. And then you stuff a little cash and gold in it. Just for safekeeping, and because owning government bonds isn’t paying what it used to. You may also be a bit paranoid that a future ban on cash – or just a run on physical cash – could leave you high and dry.
You then assure everyone that you’re not paranoid. Just prudent. “We are just trying it out, but you can see how serious the situation is,” said the company’s CEO Nikolaus von Bomhard. Yes. You CAN see how serious the situation is.
Category: Central Banks